Estee



(No Model'.)

R. F. REEGESTER. PARCEL AND LETTER B0X.

110.431,399. Patented July 1, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT FRANK REGESTER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD .TO SAMUEL IV. REGESTER, OF SAME PLACE.

PARCEL AND LETTER BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,399, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed September 4:, 1889.

To alt whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, ROBERT FRANK REG- ESTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Security Parcel-Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in boxes for the reception and security of valuable packages; and it consists of a conven? ient receptacle, which may be readily opened by a depositor and the article placed therein, the automatic closing of this receptacle, causing the article so placed, by the particular construction and operation of the various parts of the box, to pass into another compartment, from where it can be removed only by the person possessing the key thereto.

The device is particularly adapted to the use of the postal servicevfor the reception of parcels and papers, and when employed for this purpose there is provided a suitable compartment for the -receipt of letters, all of which I accomplish by the devices hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- 4 Figure I shows a front view of the box with a part of the front removed. Fig. Il shows a section of the box, the section being taken through X X, Fig. I. Fig. III shows a view, looking down on the box, with the top thereof removed. Fig. -IV shows a front view of the box with a letter-compartment attached and a part of the front removed.

The same numbers referto the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

The number 6 denotes the casing of the box, that is made, preferably, of a rectangular form and may be of any size to suit the purpose for which it is intended. In the upper part of the box, and kept in position by the cover 7 thereof, is the drawer 8, the sides of which are provided, near the top thereof, with Serial No. 322 ,965. (No model.)

the overlapping pieces 9, that rest upon the guides 10, secured to the sides of the casing 6, thus supporting the drawer and permitting it to be drawn in or out by the knob or handle I I, that is attached to the exposed surface of the drawer. In order to keep the drawer 8 closed, which is its normal position, there is attached to the back end 12 thereof one end of the weight-rope 13, which passes over a pulley 14, that is secured to the back of the casing 6 and has attached to its other end the weight 15, that is of sufficient gravity 'to automatically close the drawer when released by the depositorand hold it in the closed position, this weight being inclosed in a casing 16, that the articles in the chamber 26 will not interfere with its movements.

The swinging bottom 17 of the drawer S, which seals the articles in the compartment 26 and prevents their abstraction through the drawer, is pivoted to the sides of the drawer in such manner, near the front thereof, by the pivots 18 that when the drawer is in' the closed position the bottom 17 will, by gravity, hang vertically and rest against the stop 19, that is placed on the inner surface of the front wall of the casing 6, thus causing any article that has been placed in the drawer to drop therefrom into the compartment 26, from where it can only be removed through the door 22, that is provided in this compartment. When the drawer is pulled out for the purpose of depositing an article therein, the edge 19 will press upon the underside of the bottom 17, whereby it will be immediately raised to a horizontal position and form a bottom for the drawer S, the slightest outward movement of the drawer causing the bottom 17 to assume the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the inner edge 2l of the bottom overlapping the back 12 of the drawer, and will thereby form a perfect barrier to access to thc compartment 26 through the drawer 8, the outward movement of the drawer being limited by the stops 20, that are placed at the rear end thereof, which come in contact with the edge 19, and will thus prevent the drawer being wholly Withdrawn from the casing 6.

In the bottom of the casing is provided the door 22, that is hinged to the bottom of the IOO casing, this door being secured by a lock 23, and when opened will permit the contents of the chamber 26 to be removed.

In Figl the box is represented for the special use of the postal service, and has a compartment 24 attached thereto, in which may be deposited letters through the slot 25, the door 22, when opened by the collector, permitting access to both the compartments 24 and 26 for the removal of both letters and parcels.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim, and desire to secure by United States Letters Pat-ent, is-

In a receptacle for valuable packages, the combination of a casing 6, having a chamber 26, a drawer 8, located near the top of said chamber, and havin g a bottom 17 hinged thereto in such manner that it will hang normally in a vertical position, a iiange formed on the front wall of the easing, against which the hinged bottom bears, and by which it is elevated when drawn outward, and a Weight 15, secured to a cord attached to the rear of the drawer and passing; over the pulley 14, so as to automatically close the drawer and drop the bottom to deposit the contents of the drawer in the lower part of the casing, substantiallyas specified.

In testimony whereof I afi-ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT FRANK REGESTER. lltnesses:

WM. L. BAILIE, J No. T. MADDOX'. 

